The Argosy — page 366: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

344 Anne Hereford. ["Xpal' caee “Thank you, sir. Meanwhile may I go on with this, as I have begun it ?” He left the tree, took the book from my hand and looked at it. 6 ¢Othello ;’ yes, you may read that.” As he returned the book to me and resumed his position against the tree, some one approached from the outer gate. I thought it was a visitor. He came strolling on, his arms underneath his coat-tails; and soon I perceived it was the gentleman I had seen at the newly occupied house, giving his directions to the servant. But ah! as he neared us, remembrance, with its cold chill of terror, struck upon my heart. I knew him instantly. It was Mr. Edwin Barley. Mr. Edwin Barley, and not in the least altered. “Do you want anything, sir?” demanded Mr. Chandos. For the intruder was passing us without ceremony, and peering about as cun- ously and freely as he might have done on the public road. ‘‘T don’t want anything,” was the independent answer. ‘“‘The open air is free to walk in, I believe.” “ Quite so—when you are without these boundaries. But these are private property.” ‘‘T am aware that they are the grounds belonging to Chandos House ; but I did not know a stranger might not be permitted to walk in them.” ‘“‘ Lady Chandos prefers privacy. Strangers are not in the habit of entering here; nor can their doing so be sanctioned.” ‘“‘T presume that I am speaking to Mr. Harry Chandos ?” Mr. Chandos bowed his head, very coldly. Mr. Edwin Barley bowed in his turn ; it might have been called an mtroduction. “T will retreat,” he said, ‘“‘and I suppose I must beg your pardon for intruding. It did not occur to me that my strolling in might be unwelcome.” Mr. Chandos said nothing to detain him, and Mr. Edwin Barley raised his hat and departed. Mr. Chandos returned the courtesy, and looked after him. ‘Who can he be, I wondere I don’t much like his face.” ‘IT think it is the new tenant, sir. Isaw him at the house just now.” ‘“ He the tenant!” returned Mr. Chandos. ‘Miss Hereford, what is the matter with youe You are as white as that statue.” I turned it off, giving no explanation; and Mr. Chandos walked towards the gate. I daresay I did look white, for the sight of Mr. Edwin Barley brought back all the old horror of the events that had occurred during my sojourn in his house. Not that it was so much the recollection that drove the colour from my cheeks, as the dread fear that he should recognize me; though why I should have feared it, I did not know. Little chance was there of that—had I been calm enough to judge the matter sensibly. While Mr. Edwin Barley had remained stationary in appearance, I had changed from a child into a woman. comicloooks (CO)